[ad_1]
But for all David’s success in India, it was only a month ago that he found himself running drinks for a sixth consecutive game. Signed for INR 8.25 crore (US $ 1.1 million) in February’s auction, David made 1 and 12 in his first two innings as Mumbai Indians started with back-to-back defeats and found himself benched – even when there were two overseas spots available in the starting XI.
“It wasn’t ideal,” David tells ESPNcricinfo, speaking from his new home ground the day after landing in the UK. “It was just a team balance thing. It being the start of a new cycle, the teams were trying to find their best combinations and unfortunately, I found myself out of the side.
“I felt like I was batting as well as I ever have. It was frustrating personally but you can’t look at it as anything more than that, and I knew it was my job to be ready to go when I got back in the team. I’m really pleased I took that opportunity when it came. “
He took it with both hands, hitting 173 runs off 75 balls in his final six innings to dispel the notion that volatility is inherent in the finisher’s role. “I feel like I improved a lot, which was my biggest goal,” he says. “You can’t control performances on the field but I felt like if I grew as a player over two-and-a-half months there, it would put me in good stead moving forwards and I’m pretty pleased with how I progressed . “
David’s life has changed immeasurably in the last 12 months, a period which has seen him transform from a promising Big Bash hitter into a globe-trotting T20 gun-for-hire. Aged 26, he does not hold a state contract and has never played a first-class game but is making waves around the world as a middle-order specialist.
“Once you get out into a game, it’s keeping it as simple as you can: watch the ball as closely as you can, keep your mind blank, and be aggressive”
Tim David’s T20 philosophy
It was this time last year that David was picked up as a last-minute replacement player by Lahore Qalandars on the back of a strong BBL for Hobart Hurricanes. “That was my first overseas franchise experience. I did all right for six games and off the back of that, I was close to getting a gig with St Lucia in the CPL,” he recalls.
Rather than returning to Australia and facing two weeks of hotel quarantine before flying to the Caribbean, he agreed to join a club in Holland, with the hope of spending the summer there. Ten days into his stint, his agent told him that Surrey were after an overseas player for their final two Blast group games.
His form continued at the CPL and after running the drinks for Royal Challengers Bangalore, he picked up where he left off with Hobart. “I’ve gone from BBL to PSL to IPL, and now I’ve landed here in Manchester,” he says. “I’ve been so busy playing franchise tournaments over the last year and having such a fun time.”
Underpinning his form has been a clear T20 philosophy. “At its most simple, it’s ‘get as many runs as you can off as few balls,'” he says. That changes throughout different situations, pitches and conditions – sometimes, playing in a new league, you’ve not faced guys before and it’s about applying those skills. But once you get out into a game, it’s keeping it as simple as you can : watch the ball as closely as you can, keep your mind blank, and be aggressive.
“I’ve found a bit of a template and a method for batting through the middle of a T20. When I bat in a game, I want to keep that same tempo, that same intent – that’s been really important for my game. I I don’t really want to pigeon-hole myself as a finisher. The progression is to be able to bat in all situations, and try to have a really big impact in winning games for my team. “
“Polly was awesome with me. He’s so generous with his time, just talking about power-hitting and batting in the middle order; about staying calm through those periods which you get through experience; about what works in the IPL and then even just prep around games and in the nets – how much you need to do, how to keep yourself fresh throughout a two or three-month tournament, and also when you’re playing all year round. “
“If that [an Australia call-up] happens, that would be awesome and I’d be so excited for that opportunity – but I’m not thinking about it, “he says.” I’m just trying to enjoy what I’m playing. I’m looking forward to playing [against Yorkshire] and I’m really looking forward to these three months and how I’ll improve through that period – it’s just a really exciting time.
Matt Roller is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @ mroller98
[ad_2]
Source link